Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1887-01-27
ROBBERS AT WORK. 0
ADother Bold Attempt at Train Robbery
Rlue Cut Again. FaIIure.


Blue Cut Agatha Failure.
KANSAS CITY, Mo-, Jan. 30.-Another bold
robbery was attempted on the Chicago &
Alton St. Louis train about eight O'clock last
night, at point three miles east of indie
pendence, Mo-, in which the brakeman, en-
gineer and fireman received close calls. At
the point mentioned the train stopped rather
suddenly and Immediately after the passen-
gers in the front car heard report which
sounded Ikea torpedo and supposlng it to
be such no alarm was felt. Just after the
train stopped Conductor G.. II. Trembbett,
who had just started into the sleeper TO take
up tickets, rushed back through the chai1
car toward the front end.
A reporter, who boarded the train at Kan
sas City, possibly the only one in the crowded
coach who expected something was wrong,
saw by the conductors actions that he was
considerably excited. The reporter fol-
lowed and upon reaching the smoking car
the train started after stop of about two
minutes. Brakeman Painter had just en-
tered the car and was pale and excited
After the excitement had subsidized, Mr..
Painter made the following statement:
Arriving Ut Independence the engineer
informed me that the pipes were losing air,
and on leaving independence l began to
look up the leakage, and finally located it
under the sleeper. About three niles east
of Independence, while was sitting in the
smoker, the train stopped. Thinking that
the stop was made on account of the air
leaking, / started toward the engine after q
wrench to fix the pipes. AS l got of the
front of the smoker a man climbed down or
the front end of the baggage car and said:
Hold up your hands, there are plenty of uE.
here at the same time covering me with g
large revolver in each hand. He fired 10
me twice and snapped the pistols several
times at me, we being only . few steps.
apart.
while the shooting was going on che
man, who appeared TO be very much excited
himself, commanded me TO go up TO the
engine, and then said to go back in the carr
saying: C d you, go back as i tell
you,' firing the last shot, which grazed my
face. The first shot passed by my left side
the powder burning my left hand. was
unarmed. lost no time in getting on the.
train in compliance with his request. Just
after the shots were fired the express mes
senger, Frank Corrilett, opened the side
door partly and the robher, who was standa
ing just opposite few feet from the door,
leveled one of the revolvers ut him, and
said: C. d-you shut that door, ana
that request was also quickly complied
with.
THE villain was then seen to go towards
che rear end of the train by few men in
the smoking car. Phe train started as soon
rs had gotten in the car, and went back
TO see that every thing was all right in the
train, finding no one had been molested.''
The reporter then interviewed Engines
James Hannah and Fireman w. II. Dunn
whose statements in substance are as fots
lows: About three miles east of indie
pendcnce, near Blue Cut, the bell cord waS
pulled three times, the usual signal foe
stopping. l commenced slowing up, bue
could not stop the train for some little dis
lance. A second after the signal was given
we heard the report of pistol, and immes
diately after the signal to stop was again
rung, and just after another shot was fred
The train had come to a stop by that timea
and we saw a man climb down off the front
end of the baggage car, and subsequently,
saw him shooting at the brakemen. The
first shots We're evidently intended for uss
and all that protected was the huge pile
of coal in the tender'
Engineer Harmon stated that justeaftep
the man passed to the rear he pulled out5
lying at the point only about two minutes
however; not knowing how things were bee
hind. All the train men We're OF the opin-
ion that the robber had boarded the head
end at Independence, expecting to meet the
gang IN Blue Cut, about two miles and g
half from the city. and there stop the train
and go through the passengers aud express
car. He miscalculated the distance evident
ly, passing his men and stopping the troiR
some distance from them.
The fagman of the train, supposing the
report to be that of torpedo, went back aS
the tram stopped to flag the second trains
and was consequently left, as the train ale
most Immediately pulled OUT. He was
picked up by the west-bound passengeF
train half hour after ali safe.
The robber wore winter cap pulled down
over his eyes and long overcoat, with o
tall collar turned up. He had short, stubby
whiskers.
.